


The Ghost of Gray Lake Village

by MaelstromUchiha



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Boyfriends, Campy, Creepy, Gay, Horror, Hypothermia, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Scary, Sirens, Spooky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:29:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26763616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaelstromUchiha/pseuds/MaelstromUchiha
Summary: Team 7 goes on their first mission since Sasuke's return back to Konoha to investigate ominous stories of a creature deep within outskirts of the Hidden Mist. Disappearances plague the town of Gray Lake Village inciting fear in it's unusual inhabitants. Sasuke is forced to face his reckless past and deals with the creature targeting the person he treasures most.
Relationships: Hoozuki Suigetsu/Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28
Collections: Fics Naruto/Sasuke, Naruto Fanfictions





	1. Happy

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Journey Through the Maelstrom](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25967401) by Anonymous. 



> This is a short -almost- novella which directly follows chapter 41 of Journey Through the Maelstrom (JTTM to make it easy) and takes place in the same universe. You can read this fic without reading JTTM but there are a few references to the original fic. It gives a spotlight to Suigetsu who I felt did not get enough recognition. It was written kind of like a campy horror story for Halloween and was really fun to create! 
> 
> I would imagine that this would take place in a similar universe to cannon during down time between Itachi’s death and before Naruto learns how to use senjutsu. As stated in JTTM, the characters in my story are 18 for reasons so rather than there being three years between Naruto and Shippuden, there would have been about five. 
> 
> Lastly, I genuinely want to thank everyone who has taken the time to give this story or JTTM a read, kudos or comments. They are all much appreciated, and you all have been very kind. I hope you guys enjoy this creepy little spin-off!
> 
> Names and terms:
> 
> Nikogetsu is the name I came up with for my OC Hōzuki clan member. I was originally going to call her Niko, but then realized that literally everyone from the Hōzuki clan has getsu at the end of their name hence Nikogetsu. Suigetsu casually still calls her Niko. 
> 
> Goke means body snatcher in Japanese and is pronounced “Go-kay”.

Autumn winds caused yellow leaves to drift playfully through the dry and dying forest. They landed in colorful piles on top of the grassy floor. A swelling sound of the softly brushing branches could be heard with each gentle push of the breeze. The late Summer sun rose slowly through pink and orange clouds as it began to warm the cool air from the night. The surrounding beauty hardly comparable to the powerful maelstrom surging through Sasuke’s core. His wildest fantasy had just come to fruition. At last, after surviving through every horrific trial, he was walking his own path. 

The first kiss had been a painful experience, full of intense self-hatred. This time was different. No fear and no regret. Only overflowing euphoria. In that moment where their lips collided again after so many years, he finally felt alive. For a moment, the death of his brother and his family did not exist. The power he had been searching for had been right before him the entire time. Something about it seemed too good to be true. The two broke their kiss and relaxed into a loose embrace.

“As happy as I am… this… terrifies me.”

Sasuke spoke lowly. He was looking for some kind of reassurance.

_Is this really the right thing to do? Is it really okay?_

“It is kinda scary, yeah, but… I’m excited. If anyone tries anything, not like they’re gonna be able to mess with us if we’re together, right?” He smiled wide. “We’ll kick their asses!”

The fear of being taken away suddenly left Sasuke’s shoulders. He was right. They were two of the most powerful shinobi in Konoha. An overwhelming sense of relief washed over him as he resolved to punish anyone who dared look at them the wrong way… and to kill anyone who dared to separate them.

“You’re right…” He spoke softly. “I wish things could have been different back then.”

“I mean… there are some things I wouldn’t change.”

Naruto smirked thinking about their first _real_ kiss, not counting the accident.

This caused a few questions that had continuously gnawed at the blonde to pop into his mind.

“Hey, Sasuke? When did you know you liked me?”

Sasuke’s eyes became wide as he realized the truthful answer. His face felt hot. He paused for a moment and bit his bottom lip before finally forcing himself to speak.

“The day we met.” He almost whispered.

“N-no way! You were so mean at first though…” Naruto’s voice changed to a mumble. “…but I guess you were mean even after that night...”

“S-sorry… I… didn’t know how to deal with how I felt about you. And I put you in danger… So, I tried to push you away. …It was to protect you.” He shifted his eyes hesitantly.

“Please don’t ever feel like you need to push me away to protect me.”

The blonde’s hollow expression reflected years of desperate searching for his first love. Sasuke was speechless. He had let his fear guide him and Naruto had been here, shamelessly living his life as his authentic self despite those around him trying to bring him down. He felt guilty for not being able to do the same. The two exchanged another long stare before Naruto decided to press on with another question that had been burning in his mind.

“Do you still blame me? For being locked away in that awful place?”

He shifted his weight and stared anxiously. The haunting memory of Sasuke’s screaming accusation flashed before him. He winced and attempted to blink the memory away. 

“No. It’s never been your fault. I’m sorry I yelled at you for that… you saw me at my worst. It must have been… horrible for you.”

His eyebrows furrowed and he broke their eye contact again.

Naruto gently put his hand to Sasuke’s right cheek and brushed his hair back before leaning in for another soft, yet electrifying kiss.

“Your worst would never scare me away.”

Sasuke couldn’t help but let the corners of his mouth go up as he got lost in lovestruck thought. His mind wandered until it settled on a pressing matter that had escaped them both.

“Shit. The mission.”

They were supposed to meet the rest of Team 7 by the village gates about 15 minutes ago. The two had woken up early to train together and had planned to be on time. Clearly, things had gone in another direction. This would be Sasuke’s first Konoha mission in over five years. He had not been particularly excited to go, however, he would do it for Naruto who had been elated at the idea. They were both surely waiting for them or poor Sakura was waiting alone.

“FUCK! You’re right, let’s go!”

Sasuke suddenly felt a wave of giddiness as he rushed just behind his _boyfriend._ He couldn’t help but smile to himself, thinking about how it was finally true and no longer just a distant fantasy. He could have outpaced him easily but chose not to. He wanted to watch him fly.

X

Kakashi and Sakura had waited about 30 minutes past the time they said they would meet before Naruto and Sasuke finally arrived.

“You’re both late.” Kakashi spoke sternly.

“Sorry! Uhh… We got held up.”

Naruto laughed sheepishly.

“Uhuh, sure. You guys better pay attention to something else other than each other when it matters.” Sakura teased.

Both of them blushed wildly and looked in opposite directions causing Sakura to giggle. Kakashi smirked but was vaguely disappointed he didn’t need to embarrass them further. He would have taken his shot had Sakura not taken hers. He would have to take his when it was opportune.

“SH-SHADDAP SAKURA!” Naruto almost squealed in protest.

“Let’s go.”

Sasuke ignored her taunts and began to walk with a cool expression despite feeling incredibly flustered and exposed.

“W-what’s this mission about anyway?”

Naruto desperately tried to change the subject. Kakashi would save him this time.

“Apparently, we have another ghost. It screams in the night and people have been disappearing.” He said calmly.

“G-g-ghost?” Naruto squeaked.

“Hm…? You’re still afraid?” Sasuke said. 

“H-Hey! They’re real! I’ve seen it! That shit is scary as fuck!”

He spouted off reasons his fear was valid as Sakura laughed. While the two bickered back and forth, Sasuke saw an opportunity to try to be discreet about a taking a significant step in coming back to Konoha. A shimmer from the sun reflected toward Naruto and caused him to turn his attention toward Sasuke. His eyes widened as he realized Sasuke was holding his newly polished Konoha headband. He beamed in the Uchiha’s direction. Sasuke took no pleasure in being observed in this way but seeing Naruto’s face made him feel good inside.

_As long as you’re happy._

He carefully tied it to his forehead where it had always sat so many years before. The feeling of wearing it proudly again felt strange and validating in a way he did not expect. Naruto couldn’t help himself and excitedly wrapped his arm around Sasuke’s neck as they walked.

“Hehe lookin’ good, Sasuke!” He said with a broad grin.

“Tch…”

His plans for being subtle had officially failed, although, he didn’t mind the affection.

“Soooo handsome!” Sakura chimed, seeing an opportunity to poke a little fun alongside a genuine compliment.

She was really just as elated as Naruto. Sasuke couldn’t help but blush. He had barely managed to resist with just Naruto but now both of them were giving him compliments.

“It’s not a big deal!”

The tone in his voice wasn’t as serious as he had hoped.

“Aw, c’man, we can’t give you _any_ compliments?”

Naruto laughed.

“Hmph.”

Kakashi watched his team bicker back and forth as adults, all now powerful ninja, but simultaneously still the children originally assigned as his team so many years ago. During Sasuke’s absence, their Team 7 reunions had been a lot dimmer. The dynamic within his team was now restored. Seeing them laugh together, the three of them as a team, brought a tear to his eye that he wiped away before any of them noticed. He would allow himself these moments of happiness. 

Although he had little doubt that Sasuke would try anything at this point, he was instructed by Tsunade to watch him closely. He would need to act separate from his emotions if necessary, which would be incredibly difficult. Based on what he just saw, Sasuke would never leave without Naruto, but it was not the first time he had thought so.

X

Grey Lake village was a small community located within the rural outskirts of the Hidden Mist. Normally, Konoha ninjas would not have been deployed for such a mission. In this case, the village was desperate. They had outsourced local ninja who had all failed to kill the “ghost” and now their population was dwindling. The letter to Konoha indicated that only men had gone missing – a strange preference in the ghost’s victims. Kakashi had explained their full mission as they settled down that night and set up camp before settling in to read his book.

As the darkness of the night came down around them, Naruto began to feel increasingly worried about the real monsters that awaited him at their destination. Every little sound of the forest made him swing his head around or jump. The campfire was his only safe haven from the unknown in the woods behind him. He tried his best to put on a brave face but the thought of ghosts coming for his body sent shivers up his spine. The four of them sat around it with Sasuke to Naruto’s right. Sakura sat across from them and Kakashi was reclined on a nearby tree trunk.

Sakura watched her demon possessed teammate squirm at the idea of ghosts and smirked at him.

_Such a dork._

Her gaze shifted to Sasuke’s. He had been quiet for most of the day aside from an occasional remark, but he didn’t seem at all moody like he used to be. It almost seemed like he was dazed. She reasoned that it could still have been shock from learning the truth about Itachi, combined with being back in Konoha for the first time in years. She decided to try to pick his brain. He had only been home a few weeks, two of which had been spent in the hospital, and it was becoming evident Sasuke still had some adjusting to do. He desperately needed help with socializing too. 

“So, what’s it like being back in Konoha after all this time?” She asked tentatively.

He paused for a few moments and stared at her as his thoughts processed her question.

“It’s been…” He had not really thought much of Konoha. It was not the village itself that he was loyal to. He glanced at Naruto, which Sakura noticed. “…Not what I thought it would be.”

Kakashi’s gaze shifted from his book to Sasuke for a moment. The other two stared at the Uchiha as if to beckon him to continue speaking. He looked back at them both and swallowed. He stumbled over his words mentally for a few moments before deciding on what to say.

“I’m just… I think I’m… finally doing what will make me happy.”

He may as well have had puddles for a team. Kakashi spoke for all three of them.

“Well, we’re happy you’re home.”

Sakura and Naruto smiled at him and agreed with their sensei. He was embarrassed but managed a soft smile in return. The warmth she felt from him was foreign to her. Seeing him smile at her was a coarse reminder as to why she had fallen for him in the first place. His expressions and actions had always read cold except for the occasional glimmer of light that would sparkle through his fortified walls. Beneath all of his damage, there was an incredibly kind and soft soul. Today, he was beaming like she had never seen before.

A loud noise snapping noise shook the quiet atmosphere which caused Naruto to instinctively scream and grab Sasuke’s arm. Sasuke’s first instinct in the past would be to shove him off. This time, he reveled in the touch and hoped he wouldn’t let go. A boar and her piglet ran hurriedly from the forest and across the pathway. Naruto sighed, partially out of relief and partially out of shame for being scared by something cute. It took him another moment to realize he was grabbing Sasuke. He pulled away quickly.

“AAH! S-sorry… I uhh…”

“It’s okay, weirdo.” He said as he looked into Naruto’s shocked eyes.

Sakura watched the entire interaction and realized in a moment that Sasuke’s dazed expression might have had nothing to do with his trauma. This was a different kind of aloofness.

_Are they… finally dating?_

She squinted and stared at Naruto who had always been the easier target for answers.

“So, uh, you guys have been spending a lot of time together, I noticed.”

Naruto’s face became beat red and he attempted to speak, but rather than words it was more like guttural sounds. Sasuke smirked at Sakura. It was only a matter of time before she knew anyway. He spoke to save his blubbering partner.

“Yeah, we have.”

His words sounded confident and he couldn’t help but speak with a smile – a rarity. He stared at Sakura with a knowing expression and she got the hint. It was all that needed to be said on the subject. 

X

After long conversations, laughs and getting reacquainted, Sakura almost felt as if Sasuke had never left. He was the same in a lot of ways. His snarky bluntness had only evolved, and he was still touchy about certain things. Despite this, he was more willing to show his true self to her. They spoke more openly than they ever had before. It shocked her how much he was talking and saddened her that this was the first time she had ever seen him this comfortable. Overall, she was incredibly happy to have him back and to see Naruto and Kakashi happy too. Things seemed like they were really getting better for once.

A pause in the conversation followed by an uncontrollable yawn told her that she was done for the night. She said her goodnights, laid down and shut her eyes. Kakashi slept quietly against the tree with his book face down on his chest.

Sasuke immediately turned to Naruto and motioned for him to follow before almost silently disappearing from his spot. He nervously jumped after Sasuke into the veil of darkness.

_He’s so fast._

“Hey! Slow down!”

He half spoke, half whispered as he struggled to keep up. Sasuke was suddenly gone from his vision. He stared into the dark forest and immediately became afraid of the ghost again. He could hear various shifts in the leaves as animals crawled through their natural habitat.

“Boo.”

Sasuke spoke lowly right into Naruto’s left ear from behind. It was still so easy. Before Naruto screamed, Sasuke covered his mouth and flipped him around before pinning him to the nearest tree. Naruto stared at him, surprised, and opened his mouth to speak. Before he could say anything, Sasuke’s lips were already moving against his. This kiss was different than any kiss either of them had ever experienced. It was passionate and deep, causing both of them to almost instantly be turned on. Naruto could feel Sasuke getting hard as their hips pressed eagerly together, driving him further to the edge. After a few minutes, the sensation was almost too much, and he let out a soft groan into the Uchiha’s mouth. He felt himself begin to get a little _too_ excited. It would end there if he didn’t do something.

“S-stop…” Naruto managed to say despite his body screaming for more.

Sasuke immediately stopped, took a step back and looked at him with confused eyes. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Y-yeah…I.. uh…”

Naruto half smiled and scratched the side of his face before taking a step toward him. He leaned forward, to the right of his partner and gently pressed his lips to the crook of his neck. The soft groan from the Uchiha only fueled his fire. He fought the urge to touch himself as he kissed down his partner’s exposed chest until he reached his waistline.

“What are you…” Sasuke started to question him.

Naruto looked up at him and smirked as he began to fumble with Sasuke’s clothing.

_Does he really not know?_

He began to breathe heavier as he looked down at what was happening.

A far off, hair-raising screech echoed through the forest and stopped them both in their tracks. It sounded inhuman and almost ethereal as it reached pitches that had been unheard to both of them before. It lasted a total of three seconds.

“What the hell was that!?”

Naruto spoke with a shaky voice. He flipped his head around upon hearing the eerie sound. Somehow, he was drawn to it despite it causing intense fear to run through his veins. Sasuke grimaced. Something about it made him feel dirty. He wasn’t in the mood anymore.

“No idea, but… let’s go back to the camp…” He sounded distraught. 

“Huh? Oh… um… Y…yeah…”

Naruto frowned and looked at the forest floor. He was somehow still horny, but if Sasuke was freaked out, then he probably should be too. His own fearlessness made no sense to him. He chalked it up to being so desperate to fuck Sasuke that his mind had lost all reason. At the same time, the sound _had_ scared him. He just didn’t have the same adrenaline ridden response he would have normally had in that situation.

He followed Sasuke back their camp and the two silently laid down on their own sleeping mats. Neither of them wanted to discuss how the creepy sound had made them feel... different… and eventually fell asleep.


	2. The Only One Safe

The Grey Lake Village had a heavy aura to it. The mist and fog coated the streets, making it difficult to see much ahead. What Team 7 could see represented poverty. Children wearing rags, few items available for purchase in the shops and all only dry goods. They approached the nearest shop keeper.

“Hi, we’ve been sent here by Konoha under the orders of—” Kakashi began politely.

“You gonna buy something?” The large, grey-skinned man grumbled.

Kakashi’s nice act fell and he defeatedly pulled out his wallet. Rather than purchase an unneeded item, he handed the man a fair sum of money.

“We just need to know where to find her.” He spoke seriously. The man slowly took the cash and shoved it into his apron’s pocket.

The scroll had not included the senders real name in plain text and had been decoded. She was a wanted enemy of multiple villages East of the Hidden Mist and took precautions to remain anonymous as possible with her inquiry to the Leaf. She had escaped to the tiny lakeside village over four years prior and had found refuge there from her past. She had provided verification of the deaths of the village and the rejection letters from the surrounding villages. Her desperate pleas were not unheard by Tsunade who decided to use it as an opportunity for Sasuke to prove his loyalty to Konoha.

The man smiled widely at Kakashi, revealing porous black teeth, and pointed down the muddy path to his right. His disgusting and contorted grin sent shivers down Naruto’s spine.

“Follow this line of buildings, you will come to a road which you will travel for about 200 meters. You’ll see a path on your left. Best to hurry now. Nikogetsu Hōzuki’s house will be your last refuge before you will be doomed to _its_ curse.”

The man stared excitedly at Kakashi.

“Thanks…”

Kakashi spoke with a faint tone of sarcasm that only Sasuke’s trained ear would notice. He also instantly recognized the name Hōzuki.

_Why does it sound familiar? Getsu? …oh, shit._

Flashbacks of Suigetsu flooded into his mind. He hoped desperately that it was just a coincidence that the village head had the same name.

“Don’t be long… the night’s almost here… she’ll prob’ly be the only one safe although it’ll take the girls too sometimes.”

The shopkeeper let out a raspy laugh through long-damaged lungs and turned his revolting smile toward Sakura. She recoiled at the sight. All three of them nodded toward the shop keeper who kept his wide and grotesque smile as they stepped away. They headed toward the woods again, past the village near the foggy lake which gave the village its name.

X

The path to Nikogetsu Hōzuki’s home had a steep incline. The bottoms of their shoes were covered in the mud that had formed along the mountain side and the water in the air had dampened their hair and clothing. The evergreen branches weren’t large and exposed enough to support their weight, so they were forced to travel on the ground. Through a scattered set of trees on the right, the shadowy lake could be seen, silent and glimmering in the last moments of daylight. Naruto stared through the trees at it with discomfort. Something wasn’t right. He glanced over at Sasuke who still looked nervous. He had been acting strange since the night before, but he was afraid to ask why.

 _What if he’s having second thoughts about me?_

The closer they got to Nikogetsu’s home, the more Sasuke began to also panic internally for an entirely different reason.

_Please don’t be here._

He thought back to his loveless fling and cringed thinking about Suigetsu bringing anything up in front of Naruto. He could feel himself begin to sweat.

“Is that the left turn he was talking about?” Sakura asked as they approached a narrow trail which led left, deep into the forest.

Naruto felt uneasy looking down the lifeless path which led through the now darkening forest.

“Yeah, that’s it.” Kakashi had been mentally counting their steps.

“A-Are you s-sure?”

Naruto shook in his place. They stared at it for a moment in utter silence. It did look unusual by itself with no marker on the road indicating where it was. Naruto felt incredibly uneasy and he could even feel Kurama within him shifting about as if trying to warn him. Goosebumps raised up across his skin upon realizing that the air around them was incredibly silent and still. It was something that never happened in Konoha forests. It wasn’t right.

The same harrowing screech cut through the air like a razor blade on a chalk board and caused everyone except Kakashi to nearly jump out of their skin.

“Holy shit, what the fuck was that?”

Sakura turned to Kakashi as if expecting him to know but the expression on his face appeared distant and dazed. He did not respond and stared off toward the lake where the sound had originated. A chill ran up Sakura’s spine as she turned to Naruto who had the same expression. She started to panic thinking about what the shop keeper had said.

_She’ll be the only one safe._

A clapping sound caused her to focus again.

“Snap out of it!” Sasuke lightly slapped Naruto’s face but it had no effect. His dead stare did not register as eye contact.

Sakura was relieved to see that it had not affected him. He was an Uchiha, after all. She assumed he was able to somehow avoid the effect of the mysterious sound.

“Sasuke, we have to get them to Nikogetsu’s house, fast, away from whatever the hell that sound was.”

He nodded in agreement and put his arm under Naruto’s and around his waist. Sakura lifted Kakashi over her shoulders, holding him by his arms and legs on either of her shoulders. It was easy for her. He only weighed a little less than 150 pounds. She had trained with multiples of that number.

They raced down the path together away from the lake. The sun was setting now, and their surroundings were becoming increasingly difficult to observe. Sasuke activated his Sharingan. He would not take any chances. Although he would never admit it, he was officially creeped out. Seeing Naruto’s face stare so lifelessly shook him.

“How did you avoid it?” Sakura asked curiously.

“No idea.”

He was just as confused as she was. She frowned in his direction. They were both without any clue as to how to protect themselves in the future.

X

The house was more like a shack. The blackened, rotting wood had been repaired several times and holes from various creatures threatened the integrity of the structure that was there. Ripped and worn grey curtains hung inside the broken windows. A single strangely shaped lantern hung near the doorway, providing a small orb of light in the thick darkness. Sasuke had been leading the way to scout the area. Once they approached the front of the house at the base of the porch, he stopped so that Sakura could join him at his side.

“I guess this must be it.” Sakura spoke with hesitation in her voice.

The forest was now pitch black and every small noise had caused them to turn to look into the invisible shadows.

“We have no other choice…” He spoke aloud the reasoning he had been giving himself the entire way there.

_This is one hell of a first mission after being gone for so long._

He put Naruto down on the forest floor nearby Sakura and nervously began to approach the door. His glowing Sharingan pierced through the darkness – just in case. The steps on the porch would have creaked had he not used his chakra to step lightly on the surface on the wood. Sakura watched him carefully and held her breath. He carefully approached the door and slowly reached to knock. 

When his hand was just inches away, the door swung open causing him to jump and nearly fall back. He steadied himself and looked on at one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Her purple eyes gazed at him through her white wisps of wavy hair which laid about mid-length over her strong exposed shoulders. Her focused gaze met Sasuke’s eyes before drifting to his forehead.

“Are you the Leaf Ninja sent to help?” She asked firmly.

He nodded hesitantly. She studied them for a moment further. If it was a genjutsu, it was brilliantly planned to have two team members incapacitated. She was good at reading people and their faces and body language did not indicate any kind of deception. Not to mention, she was a well-experienced genjutsu user. She had been a missing ninja from the Hidden Mist for some time for this reason.

“Come inside, quickly.”

X

It was not until the four of them were inside that Sasuke noticed that they were shrouded in a genjutsu. He cursed himself internally for not noticing from the outside. She was good. The initial reaction was to use his own genjutsu offensively against his attacker while she believed he was still unaware. He plopped Naruto back down onto what seemed to be a dusty wooden floor and prepared to break the jutsu himself. Nikogetsu beat him to it. She released it and revealed a well-decorated and clean home. The fixtures and walls were old, but it had been carefully kept for the years that it had stood. A large living area was visible to their right with a door to a kitchen on the other side. A stairway to the front of them indicated that this was absolutely in no way a shack, rather, a comfortably sized home.

“The genjutsu was to protect this place. Forgive my rudeness earlier as I must be cautious in this area. My name is Nikogetsu Hōzuki, I’m a leader of the Hōzuki clan... or rather what’s left of it… and I’ve come here to flee from the Hidden Mist… I have made this place my home and I will protect it, however… some things are currently out of my control hence my summoning you here today.”

She had a smooth voice and spoke with confidence. She looked to Naruto and Kakashi who were groaning as they came to and then back at Sasuke with a confused expression.

“N-nice to meet you. My name is Sakura… and this is Sasuke… The two on the ground are Naruto and Kakashi.” Sakura said, realizing that Sasuke had rudely not given his own name in return.

His attention had been focused on making sure Kakashi and Naruto were okay. Nikogetsu nodded toward Sakura before turning her attention back toward Sasuke.

“You… Sa-suske was it? You weren’t affected by it. How?”

She ignored Sakura, desperately curious for an answer she had been on a months-long search for.

_So much for being polite._

“I... don’t know.” He said, shameful that he could not give a more helpful answer.

Her face fell.

“How many times have they heard it?” She asked with a serious tone in her voice.

“Just the once? Why? … and then you’ve heard the sound before?” Sakura’s questions spilled out upon realizing what they had experienced had not been unique.

“It’s after the third time that they disappear… forever. What they have been calling a ghost… takes them.” She spoke solemnly. 

“D-d-disappear forever?” Naruto was awake now and paler than any ghost.

She nodded with a worried expression on her face.

He bit his lip to attempt to ground his trembling body before glancing over at Sasuke. He was surprised to see he had a stoic expression.

_How can he be so calm!?_

He strained to remember what had happened after hearing the sound a second time. Everything was unclear until just a few moments ago when he awoke in a strange lady’s house. The last thing he remembered was Sasuke staring at him with a concerned expression.

Sasuke was far from exhibiting any kind of fear in that moment. Beneath his cool demeanor seethed murderous intent. Whatever it was out in the fog ridden woods would die, _tonight_ even if he had to kill it again. He would not rest until he knew Naruto was safe. 

“You seem like you know more on the subject.” Kakashi finally spoke, now mostly recovered from whatever strange genjutsu he was under.

She took the hint and proceeded to explain her knowledge of the ‘ghost’ that had been taking the men of the village.

“Yes, please come get comfortable. I have a lot to go over with you.” 


	3. The Goke

To their surprise, Nikogetsu was incredibly hospitable. She moved with an air of importance to her like she was once royalty. Her posture was consistently upright, and she was well spoken. Her clothing was clean and without imperfection. She paid attention to detail and had ensured that each of them had eaten and had a comfortable place to sleep for the night. They sat around the dining table as she proceeded to tell them what she knew.

She explained that she had been a leading shinobi of the Hōzuki clan at one point, however, due to war and famine, their clan had been separated and many of the clan members had gone rogue. She had found herself in the Gray Lake Village after retreating from a brutal attack initiated by the main Hidden Mist village as a warning to the Hōzuki clan to know their place in the hierarchy established by the first war. Many Hōzuki members sought power and ended up in turmoil because of it. It was a path that Sasuke realized he was glad to no longer be traveling. He suddenly had a deep regret that he had not even asked Suigetsu what had happened to his own clan. He had been too busy selfishly thinking about his own.

The Ghost of Gray Lake Village, or _Goke_ as the villagers called it, only came to be known at night. Records of disappearances began thirty years ago which Nikogetsu had meticulously discovered through bribery and cleverness. The list was not long due to the size of the town, but the villagers preferred to keep their secrets. When someone went missing, everyone knew about it and no one spoke about it openly for fear of upsetting it.

She eventually found through bribery of a brave soul that the creature preferred to take the men but was not always consistent. Sometimes women would disappear too. It seemed to have some kind of pattern, but no one was sure what it was. The eeriest part of it all were the horrific sounds that came from the Goke. Every time someone would go missing, they would first hear the sound. After only a day it could be heard a second time, usually sending its victims into a lifeless daze unless they were magically granted immunity. No one had survived to say they had heard it a third time.

Naruto decided he needed to speak. He felt as if he was now in grave danger. His voice shook with pressing anxiety.

“What if I said I’ve already heard it twice…”

He looked down at his half-eaten food and his stomach gurgled from excessive panic. He did not want to give away that he and Sasuke were up together late at night for… _reasons_. All eyes turned to him. Sakura and Kakashi strained to try to remember when the first time had been. Nikogetsu’s face fell.

“You’ll be taken then…” She spoke solemnly as if she already saw his death.

“Not going to happen.” Sasuke interjected.

“No one lives beyond hearing the third sound…” She spoke carefully.

“Then how do you know there’s a third?”

She stared at him blankly before her expression suddenly changed to one of anguish.

“Records… of men murmuring about hearing it before aggressively making their way toward the lake, fighting anyone that tries to stop them. Some say that only the Goke’s target can hear the third sound… and that it will only take one at a time.”

Sasuke regretted his snarky comment and cursed under his breath. He wanted to believe it would be easier to protect Naruto but it would make it difficult if he couldn’t hear the damn sound. Not to mention, fighting him would get _really_ messy. There was also the question of his own safety.

“Any reason why it only seems to target men?” Kakashi asked upon hearing Sasuke’s silence.

“Some have said that it’s a woman that calls them. Sometimes women hear the voice too, though, so it’s not _always_ the men. We can’t assume so everyone in the village has been cautious to stay inside by nightfall.”

“Then it seems like Naruto and I just got lucky I guess.” He half-sighed as he spoke.

“Not exactly. Because the town is small, people talk. The story told to me was that the creature was once human, experimented on by her own partner. She was an expert level medic... and practiced many forbidden jutsus. Whatever she did to that poor girl may only cause her to attract those who would have been attracted to her in that way too.”

Team 7’s eyes widened in shock as the pieces of the puzzle came together in their minds. They stopped what they were doing to listen to her next words carefully.

“…They said she was strikingly beautiful with long and shiny brown hair and that she was loved by most of the village. She had a lot of love to give too and regularly expressed it in acts of kindness in whatever way she could. She cared about people and they cared about her. It became concerning when she stopped appearing on her usual daily check-ins and the villagers went to look for her. What they found, apparently, was no longer human… and hardly sentient in the same way a person is. It kept muttering the same words ‘three more times… two more times… only one more time… Don’t forget… I love you.’”

Her eyebrows furrowed upward as she recounted the next events. 

“…Her partner was apparently found covered in blood and half delirious. She was laughing in the next room over, uttering nonsense about how she had created a creature that would destroy the Hidden Mist for abandoning their village and leaving it to rot.”

“Holy shit…”

Sakura couldn’t help it as the words slipped out of her mouth. She covered her lips and cleared her throat in an embarrassed attempt to deviate the attention from her words.

“…Sure enough, it started killing people, including her. She became intensely feared as no one was able to face her without facing death. With every assassination attempt came another with a stronger ninja. She was driven from her home and went to the center of the lake where she would attempt to be left alone. The attempts lessened only after dozens of ninja died.”

A rumble of thunder could be heard overhead which caused Naruto’s body to stiffen reflexively. The rain came in a few short spurts before settling into its usual nightly downpour onto the rooftop. Sasuke was becoming impatient. The longer they waited, the more danger Naruto was in. He took a drink of his tea as he planned how he would kill the girl. In his mind, it would be merciful to do so. 

“Fortunately, my cousin, Suigetsu was not affected by her call. He’s been here, helping me with my investigation at my request.” She replied calmly. “He should be back soon.”

Sasuke choked and began coughing loudly. Kakashi recognized the name from Sasuke’s case file from when he had been involved with his self-made Team Taka. The last thing he needed was a reason for Sasuke to abandon the Leaf again. He was only able to mentally lament for a moment before the door flew open with what sounded like a kick.

“So… I got your shit from the market. The trek was a friggin nightmare and---”

Suigetsu entered the room nonchalantly speaking at his cousin but then froze in his tracks upon seeing Sasuke sitting at his dining room table. Sasuke’s shoulders instinctively went up and his head went down as his anxiety caused his mind to race through various worst-case scenarios.

“Interesting guests we have here, Niko, I thought you invited _Konoha_ ninja to help.”

His tone indicated clear irritation as he approached the Uchiha. His eyes narrowed as he realized there was something tied to his head. He stopped just beside him to see the glimmer of the headband. Sasuke wished he could evaporate and could feel himself begin to sweat. His heart was beating fast and he knew Suigetsu could tell. It was humiliating.

Sakura watched them carefully. She vaguely recognized Suigetsu from the moments she had seen him retreat from the Orochimaru hideout. Her attention turned to Sasuke who looked incredibly uncomfortable. He had his left hand covering his mouth and eyes were averted from his ex-teammate. If that wasn’t a clear indicator of his distress already, he was rapidly shaking his foot where he sat. The interaction seemed to already be going badly and she was ready to fight him if he tried anything. 

_Why isn’t he saying anything? If he doesn’t say anything, I will!_

“Hey, just because Sasuke decided to come home doesn’t mean _you_ get to give him any shit for it!”

“Oh? And who are you to him? His girlfriend? No? Then shut the fuck up.” He snapped at her.

She stood up with her fists clenched. She was heated now. This… _ex-teammate_ … of Sasuke’s had found and pushed the one button that made her want to lose control of her anger. It wasn’t that she was still in love with Sasuke. The wound had just cut deep when she realized they would never be together, and this creep was poking at her scar.

“Not that it’s your business, asshole, but we’ve been friends since we were kids. You only knew him, what? A few months!?” 

“I’ve known him for years, thank you. The _present_ him. Not the one you remember.”

He clenched his teeth and stared angrily at Sakura who met his gaze with an equally fiery glare. He had not realized how fond he had grown of the Uchiha. For Sasuke to suddenly leave without saying goodbye was unexpectedly hurtful and he resented him for it. Sasuke had put their team together and had risked his life to do it. He could not understand why he had immediately abandoned them once he had fulfilled his goal. He had eventually concluded that it must have been his plan the entire time. Sasuke had succeeded in making him feel more used than a dirty night club bathroom. He was intent on rubbing it in his face but before he could say something, the blonde interrupted him.

“You guys are… uh… friends?”

Naruto had a concerned tone to his voice. He had not remembered Suigetsu’s name nor had he remembered seeing him ever before. He had a one-track mind and during that time it was on Sasuke. Sakura scoffed. 

“Tch. Apparently not. You never mentioned having any _friends_.” Suigetsu replied while facing Sasuke to see if he would have any kind of reaction to his words.

Nothing. No response. His pounding heartbeat was at least a mild gratification that his presence was not completely meaningless to the Uchiha.

_Damn you, Suigetsu. This isn’t the time for this nonsense. I have to fix this… how?_

Naruto and Sakura both shot a look in Sasuke’s direction. If he really had spent a significant amount of time with this guy and _not once_ mentioned them, it would be a slap in the face. Despite their hurt emotions, it was not because he did not care for them that he had not mentioned them, rather, it was too painful at the time to bring them up. There was also the issue of his close connections potentially being used against him.

“What is your problem?” Nikogetsu sounded irritated with the tension Suigetsu had caused.

Suigetsu’s attitude immediately changed to subservience which surprised Kakashi. His quick interaction he had previously had with Suigetsu told him that he wouldn’t have bended his will for anyone. This seemed to be a special, likely family-oriented, exception.

“S-Sorry. He’s just… ugh… never mind.”

He glanced again at Sasuke’s head band and back to his face to give a final menacing glare before heading to the kitchen.

After he left the room, the attention turned to Sasuke who was still desperately trying to disappear where he sat. Genjutsu would have been just a tad too dramatic otherwise it would have been a viable way out. Naruto stared intently at him and opened his mouth to start to speak. Before he had his chance, Sasuke rose from his spot and silently went to the kitchen as everyone watched him. He tried in vain to ignore their curious stares.

“Wait, Sasuke…”

Naruto started to get up but Kakashi put his hand on his arm and shook his head no.

He looked back at his sensei with a confused expression before sitting back down. It was incredibly difficult not to be nosy. He decided it was best to let them talk and if anything happened, he was only the next room over.

X

Suigetsu angrily put away the groceries as he thought more about how Sasuke had essentially fucked over Team Taka by leaving them high and dry. They had searched endlessly for him – mostly due to Karin’s persistence, however, he had also made his own efforts to find him. He thought Sasuke would have done the same for them. Hell, he had even felt _happy_ to see Sasuke again.

When they had awoken the next day to find him missing, the three of them were dumbfounded. Sasuke had been their trusted source of guidance and prior to that, they had all been pawns to Orochimaru for the last several years. None of them had any direction and the prospect of finding their team leader again seemed grim. Naturally, they went their separate ways to try to exist in a foreign world which had changed immensely since they had last explored it on their own.

Suigetsu had returned to his small sector within the Hidden Mist to find that it had been destroyed and that the remaining Hōzuki members had fled completely. He knew that it had been destroyed, but he hoped that seeing it would offer some kind of resolve. He just wanted to see it one more time. However, the leveled ground and new construction over what used to be his clan grounds did not offer any kind of closure. The Hidden Mist had noticed his presence not long after his arrival and he and was chased out by high-level Jounin. The whole thing had been terribly arduous.

After several days of searching, he received notice that his cousin, Nikogetsu had fled to a tiny village which was untouched by the main Hidden Mist village due to fears of the Goke. He took his chances out of desperation and reunited with the only family he was aware existed. Things had gone fairly well with them both being immune to the Goke’s cries aside from the loneliness that came with living in the sparsely populated Gray Lake Village.

“Suigetsu…” Sasuke spoke softly at the kitchen entrance.

Just hearing his smooth voice made Suigetsu seethe further. Normally he would not allow himself to succumb to his emotions such as rage. This time, the words seemed to just form themselves and escape his mouth unwillingly as he continued to angrily put things away. He purposefully avoided looking Sasuke in the face as he spat his words.

“What the fuck do you want Sasuke? It’s clear what your intentions have been this entire time.”

“I’m sorry I left. It wasn’t my original intention.”

The apology caused Suigetsu to whip his head around to see a genuinely remorseful and shamed look on Sasuke’s face. He was not expecting it. Sasuke had not shown him an ounce of vulnerability in the years he had known him and suddenly he was dripping with it. Suigetsu sighed and decided he would give him _one_ chance to explain himself.

“You know we searched for you… for days.” He finished putting things away and turned his full attention to Sasuke as he leaned against the countertop. 

“You… searched for me?”

“Yeah… like… fucking everywhere. Except the last place we’d expect you to find… which is I guess where we should have started. I thought you hated Konoha anyway? What the hell happened?”

He crossed his arms and stared at the Uchiha.

Sasuke blinked a few times with his mouth agape.

_Tell him the truth, dammit._

He paused for several moments to try to think of the right words.

“I… well… there’s someone.”

The discomfort on Sasuke’s face implied that he was expecting Suigetsu to be upset. Suigetsu smirked and fought back a laugh. It was a completely unexpected curve ball. It did not fit at all into the _persona_ of Sasuke he had gotten to know and yet it made sense to think he would have dated someone at Konoha at some point.

_So like long lost lovers? Yuck._

He did not really like the idea of relationships. It sounded like a lot of work to him. Enjoying life freely with whomever he chose with no commitments sounded more ideal. Despite their occasional encounters, he didn’t think of Sasuke as _his_ by any means nor had they ever discussed any kind of status between them.

“Someone? You’re telling me that you went back to fucking Konoha… to get laid?”

He reveled in Sasuke’s obvious discomfort. It was incredibly satisfying to have the power in their dynamic for once. Sasuke flushed pink thinking about doing dirty things with Naruto. It hadn’t happened… yet.

“It’s not like that!” He snapped.

“Oh, then what, you’re _in love?_ ” Suigetsu mocked.

Sasuke glared at him and fought the urge to attack. He had to remember he was on a mission and no longer had the freedom to do as he pleased. He clenched his jaw as he fought a knee-jerk reaction that would end in regret. Suigetsu guessed based on Sasuke’s reaction that he might be right.

“Ugh… well, whatever the reason is, you ditched your team after we busted our asses to go after you. You’re an asshole, you know that?” 

“Tch… I apologized, didn’t I?”

“Doesn’t matter. I don’t forgive you.”

Suigetsu stuck out his tongue at Sasuke playfully. He never had been great at being serious about how he felt.

“Then… how can I make it up to you?”

Sasuke’s eyebrows were furrowed as he glared at the ground below him. Apologizing and making things right was proving to be difficult and messy. He hoped that no one else from his past would show up any time soon.

Suigetsu was completely taken aback by Sasuke’s genuine attempt to fix the situation and struggled to find his words. A favor from an Uchiha was intriguing and would be useful if he were to hold on to it. Unfortunately, he was never that good at keeping valuable things. He pushed himself off the counter edge and approached Sasuke. He stopped about six inches in front of him. Sasuke knew what his expression meant and felt himself tense as Suigetsu leaned toward him. 

_As if he’s actually in love._

“However you want.”

His words and actions were laced with innuendo. Normally in this situation, the offer would have been taken eagerly. Now, he had no interest in potentially ruining what he had only obtained yesterday. He did not even want to _imagine_ Naruto crying again because of something he did.

Old thoughts flooded his mind as he felt guilty thinking about how he had treated Suigetsu in the past. He hadn’t really thought of him as a living, breathing person with emotions of his own until… today. He realized Suigetsu had only been a means to not feel completely void of touch and intimacy until he had been able to reunite with Naruto. It was a cruel reality that was only now setting in. Despite all of his apprehension, a dirty part of him still wanted to fuck Suigetsu on the kitchen counter.


	4. For Love

The door shut to the kitchen and Naruto tried desperately to hear any conversation happening, but Nikogetsu had sealed the walls to be soundproof. He looked around at everyone else who seemed to not find it strange that Sasuke was talking with a mystery _friend_ in the next room. He decided to break the awkward silence.

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something?”

“Because you are.” Kakashi said.

“Wait really?” 

Sakura let out an exasperated sigh.

“Uh, yeah… You don’t remember? He was on Team Taka… He helped take Sasuke when we found him at Orochimaru’s hideout.”

“Hm… so he must be the traitor Suigetsu spoke of.” Nikogetsu said.

Team 7 winced collectively at the words. Traitor was a term that many had used to describe Sasuke since he had been back. Each time, Naruto had adamantly defended him. He would not have anyone speaking poorly about him after what he had been through.

“Don’t call him that! You don’t know the whole story.”

“Naruto, don’t be rude!” Sakura said as she very lightly back handed his arm.

“Ow!” He rubbed where she had hit him.

Despite her efforts to be gentle, it still felt like a full-blown slap by a normal person. 

Nikogetsu blinked and stared at the troubled blonde. He crossed his arms and looked away from both she and Sakura. His mood slowly began to deteriorate further as Suigetsu’s gnawing words bounced around in his head.

… _I’ve known him for years, thank you. The present him. Not the one you remember._

It was incredibly troubling to think that Suigetsu could possibly know his boyfriend better than he did. Flares of jealousy sparked through his mind. After several minutes, he could not take it anymore. He stood up.

“I’m just gonna check.”

“Naruto…” Sakura started.

“Please!? I just want to make sure everything is okay.”

Sakura looked over at Kakashi for help. She gave Naruto a hard time but when he looked at her with those big blue pleading eyes, it was damn near impossible to say no to him.

“Give them their space. We need to trust Sasuke here.” Kakashi said, knowing full well that his mission was _not_ to trust Sasuke, but if those two were to date then Naruto would have to get used to it.

Naruto grumbled under his breath and accepted he needed to let it go. He sat down, again.

_That Suigetsu better not try anything._

As he was sitting at the table, he began to feel funny. The feeling started in his mind and slowly took over the rest of him. He felt like he was at home, being comforted by those who cared for him most. He felt the presence of his parents. An understanding of the world around him suddenly came to him in a way that he had never seen before. He felt incredibly happy as he heard a sad and distorted voice traveling through his blindly euphoric mind and into his core. He believed the voice with every inch of his being. It almost whispered when it spoke.

“ _I love you.”_

X

For a few fleeting moments, Sasuke resisted a temptation he did not know he still had. He overcame the brief mental obstacle and stepped aside to create space between them again. Suigetsu watched him, bemused that he had been rejected.

_It’s going to be like that, huh. I guess I might not know you as well as I thought after all._

“You really are in love, aren’t you?”

“Tch. It’s none of your business!”

“Oh my gods, you are! Crazy. I didn’t know you were capable.” He spoke with a toothy smile.

“Shut up!” Sasuke snapped.

“Calm down. I’m just fucking with you. It just… kinda really sucks? …that you left like that I mean.”

Sasuke’s expression turned from embarrassed anger to heavy remorse. He parted his lips to start to speak before the door flew open to reveal a panicked Kakashi. Despite his fear, his voice remained calm from years of training.

“Naruto’s left. He mumbled something about a voice.”

Instantaneous terror flooded Sasuke’s veins as the five of them headed out into the moonless blackened forest. His heart pounded rapidly as he rushed ahead of the group at an impressive pace. Even Kakashi could not keep up.

“Sasuke, wait!” Sakura yelled.

He ignored her as his eyes darted desperately through the darkness and the rain. He had not felt this kind of fear for Naruto since his brother had tried to abduct him. His anxiety swelled as his search was producing no result. The rest of their team traveled as quickly behind the Uchiha as possible. Kakashi shook his head as he watched Sasuke stupidly run ahead of the group.

 _Those two are the same sometimes._

X

The soft and sweet voice had lulled Naruto into complacent obedience. His mind was at its mercy. He would do anything for the incredible feeling coursing through his veins to continue. The edge of the still water was directly in front of him. It was vast with a thick blanket of fog sitting on top of the surface. He could feel the warm and gentle presence which called to him from the center of the lake. The frigid temperatures did not deter him from taking a step into the water. It was like ecstasy on his skin. Every subtle movement pulled him deeper into the creatures whirling fantasy. A beautiful woman appeared before him and reached out her hand in his direction. He reached back out to her in his dreamy state.

“It’s… you…” He mumbled.

“ _I love you. Come closer.”_

With each step he took into the freezing abyss, she seemed to back further away until he was almost entirely submerged in the lake’s endless watery grasp.

X

Sasuke flew down the muddy path and almost fell on his ass upon attempting to stop at full speed at the edge of the lake. He steadied himself and looked at the water to see something submerge into the depths at the last second. His eyes allowed him to see the slightest glimmer of blonde hair disappear into the deep.

“NARUTO!”

His scream echoed across the still water and several meters behind him to reach the ears of everyone trailing behind. He ran full speed on top of the lake and dove perfectly into the water at the precise point where Naruto had been pulled in.

The rest of the team arrived shortly after just in time. Only Kakashi was able to see Sasuke diving into the water through the fog, although everyone else heard it. Suigetsu stared at the water with detest. He had tried to search the lake before and had not been able to find anything out of the norm due to the vastness of it. This time, however, was different. An evil aura emulated from its unusually opaque waters. He was the most capable of finding everyone safely the fastest, but his pettiness gripped him.

_Is he really worth it?_

X

The only thing making Sasuke’s body move through the near freezing temperatures was pure adrenaline mixed with building chakra. He was ready to fight but even with his Sharingan, he could not see past a few feet in front of him. He sensed a presence behind him and twisted his body around only to see more of the endless watery depths. As he was straining to see _any_ kind of sign of life a tight grip formed around his ankle, pulling him deeper and further at an alarming speed. He looked down to see a horror that was unmatched even by Orochimaru’s most grotesque experiments. It had the wrinkled face of what looked to be a human woman at one point. It was dead eyed and plastered to a dark green and black scaley head with a boney, slithering body. He tried to use genjutsu on the creature within the moments their eyes met, but its mind was nothing like he had ever experienced before. It caused him to see unknown horrors only a mutated being like herself could experience. He cried out as his brain struggled to comprehend the evil that had been implanted in the poor girl’s mind. She was suffering immensely without a doubt.

Its webbed claws dug into Sasuke’s skin beneath his shoe before he had a chance to unsheathe his sword and slice at the creature’s wrist. It elongated its horrifying mouth, bearing sharp needle like teeth and howled at an ear-piercing note. The sound was so loud it momentarily deafened Sasuke causing an instant headache. He winced and blinked several times as he tried to reorient himself. A cloud of blood represented where the creature had been maimed before it disappeared back into the abyss, but he was running out of oxygen.

He looked up and realized he could not tell which way the surface was. His growing panic heightened when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Before he could react, a bubble of air was being pushed against his face. He gasped desperately a few times before inhaling another large breath. It was a technique he had used before.

Suigetsu swam past, or rather, through him and led him through the murky water. With a few more breaths of air, they arrived to where Naruto had been tied to a rusty iron grid which rested at the bottom of the lake. At a second glance, Sasuke noticed the creature wrapped around Naruto with its pointed teeth inches away from his mouth. Sasuke threw kunai directly at the creature’s head, but it dodged just in time for only it’s freakish arm to be cut. It screeched in the same horrible way and swam into nothingness in the blink of an eye.

Several skeletons, some with rotting flesh, dangled by their feet along the iron grid. Their corpses swayed with the motion of the Goke as it sped past them. It was an eerie sight. Suigetsu recoiled at the stench which engulfed the water around them. Sasuke acted quickly and cut Naruto loose and kicked off from the grid with him in his arms and swam for what seemed like an eternity until they finally broke the surface. He gasped for air as they surfaced but quickly realized Naruto was not breathing. He used his chakra to pull himself onto the surface of the water and laid Naruto face up over his lap. Kurama seemed to have been put into the same powerful trance and was useless to assist.

_God damn you demon, what are you good for if you can’t keep him alive!?_

“Come on… wake up.”

Sasuke’s voice shuddered both from fighting hypothermia alongside his growing anxiety. He glanced in the direction of the shore which now seemed distant from where they were. He did not have time to bring him back to Sakura. He began to do compressions on Naruto’s chest with no result.

“Wake up, dammit!”

His voice was becoming desperate. His panic grew and tears formed in the corners of his eyes as he began to think of the possibility of life without him. Suigetsu watched from the surface of the water as he wondered if he was the reason Sasuke went back. He fought himself mentally for just a moment longer before deciding to do the right thing. He easily manipulated the water stuck in Naruto’s lungs and pulled it out through his mouth. The blonde began to cough violently before gurgling incomprehensive sounds in his delusional state. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief and put his arm under Naruto’s to lift him. He turned to Suigetsu who had now taken his full form at the surface of the water next to them.

“Thank you.”

The words could not have sounded more genuine. It was as if Sasuke owed him his own life. Suigetsu frowned at him. He still felt incredibly betrayed by the Uchiha but could not bring himself to be relentlessly cruel.

Another haunting cry cut through the fog causing ear-splitting pain for everyone within ear shot. The blaring noise forced Suigetsu to melt into the water again and Sasuke to collapse onto one knee. He groaned in pain as his splitting headache returned and pounded against his skull. He turned back to see the creature sitting on a nearby exposed rock, smiling at him with a contorted, wrinkly grin up to the corners of its cheeks.

“ _G i v e i t b a c k.”_

X

Sakura and Nikogetsu pulled the chakra threads tighter around Kakashi, layering them 10 times the normal recommended amount to detain someone to be extra cautious. Kakashi hung his head in defeat. The first time the creature had screeched again, his body had reacted automatically. He had headed for the water after the other three in the same curious daze as Naruto.

Thankfully, Sakura had seen this coming and had prepared for the possibility that Kakashi _had_ heard the sound when Naruto first heard it. She was quick to act the second she noticed anything off with her sensei. Evidently, hearing the sound during sleep was just as effective as in full consciousness. Kakashi was thankfully slowed due to his mental state and seemed to not be able to use jutsu so Sakura and Nikogetsu were eventually able to detain him. However, it was not without effort and left them both breathing heavily. Kakashi began to struggle to escape their trap to go toward the enticing sound.

“Watch after him. I’m going to save my team.”

Sakura spoke confidently as she looked toward Nikogetsu who nodded affirmatively. She took off in the water toward the direction the ear-piercing sounds had originated from and began to gather massive amounts of chakra in her fists and feet. 


	5. Warm

The Goke tilted its unsettling head as it stared at Sasuke with Naruto on his arm. With impressive and immediate speed, it leapt into the water. The scale covered grey body slithered back and forth rapidly which propelled the unchanging smiling face directly toward him. The sight immediately brought back flash backs of his first encounter with Orochimaru. He tried to move but his inner ears were still vibrating causing his balance to fail him. He braced for impact but instead heard the creature’s screech again as it was sent flying across the water’s surface with the brut force of Sakura’s punch. The punch had injured it, but it was not dead. It slipped back into the safety of the depths to lick its wounds.

She looked back to Sasuke and Naruto.

“Go. Get Naruto tied down safely on land.” She ordered.

He was impressed by her bravery.

“I can’t leave you—” He started to protest.

“I will be fine. Besides, you will be more help to me once you can get him to safety.”

He cursed under his breath because he knew she was right. After a few more moments of mental protest, he resolved to take the most logical course of action. 

“Sakura… Be careful.”

She acknowledged his statement with a nod. He took off toward the shore at intense speeds. His body was freezing but he was running on pure adrenaline. The fear began to try to creep into her mind as she stood alone on the surface of the darkened and foggy lake, but she shoved it into the back of her mind. She was strong and could handle this creature better than any of them had.

It attempted to come up from beneath the surface and grab her ankle in the way that it had Sasuke’s. Thankfully, she had anticipated the move and was able to dodge the attack. She jumped and hurled several shuriken toward the water as she flew through the air. The Goke barreled in her direction and dodged her attack with the same plastered smile. She jumped back once she landed on the water’s surface but could not dodge the heinous bite. Its horrifying mouth plunged needle like teeth into her left forearm. She cried out in pain and punched it using her free arm. The Goke groaned deeply as it let go of her arm and collapsed beneath the water’s surface. She staggered to the large rock the Goke has rested on previously and winced as she began to heal her own profusely bleeding arm.

A few moments of silence almost lulled her into a false sense of security. As soon as her body finally began to relax, a splash followed by another harrowing screech of the creature could be heard directly in front of her. The moonless rainy night barely showed the Goke’s silhouette as it hurled its body from the water toward Sakura. She gave a desperate kick sent the creature flying through the air. A swift swing of a sharp blade then sliced directly through its neck. Its terrible, fishlike head was still bearing its awful human-like smiling face as it flew through the air landing nearby Sakura. She stared at it in horror before she noticed a presence in the dark.

“Sasuke…?” She asked the approaching figure nervously.

“Nope. Even better.”

Suigetsu smirked at her. His huge blade was resting on his shoulders with the Goke’s blood dripping from its center. He offered a hand to Sakura who hesitantly took it. He helped her up and she looked down at the creature’s head and picked it up by its disturbingly human hair.

“Let’s get the fuck off this lake.”

X

Sasuke finally arrived at the shore to see Nikogetsu suspiciously staring at an unconscious Kakashi tied helplessly to a tree. It may have been comedic if he was not so close to collapsing due to hypothermia. He managed to lay Naruto on the rocky beach before attempting a pathetic fire-style jutsu which was inhibited by the down pouring rain. What he did manage warmed him temporarily until he ran out of breath. He trembled and closed his eyes to try to prepare himself to do it again. He suddenly felt an incredible warmth from behind him.

“You’re freezing.” Naruto said as he wrapped his arms around the shivering Uchiha.

Sasuke shuddered as warmth flooded his body for the first time in several long minutes.

“You’re finally awake… and how the hell are you so warm?”

Sasuke’s voice shook as he spoke. He was half inclined to push Naruto off of him for fear of showing PDA, then again, this wasn’t exactly only affection based. He might have actually ended up with medical complications if he didn’t find a way to warm up soon.

“I ‘unno. I’m always warm… what happened anyway?”

Sasuke started to answer when they both heard a low groan from behind them. Kakashi lifted his head only to be met with a kunai from Nikogetsu.

“This is for your own good.” She said calmly.

“Huh? What’s going on?”

He acted unimpressed by her threat. Kakashi did not remember the last half an hour or so. Her hostility had come from learning that even in a dazed state, the copycat ninja was a dangerous opponent.

“It’s okay, Niko. It’s dead.” Suigetsu called from the foggy lake.

Nikogetsu turned to her brother, reassured, and went to untie Kakashi only to find that he had let himself loose and was standing on the other side of her. She jumped upon seeing him free which made him laugh to himself.

_Gets ‘em every time._

Suigetsu and Sakura walked calmly from the waters to the shore. He glanced at Sasuke who’s lips were practically blue as he shakily leaned into Naruto’s embrace. Suigetsu made eye contact for a moment before Sasuke looked away in shame.

_It really is him, isn’t it?_

Part of him still resented Sasuke. He hated that he knew he did.

“Let’s go,” Sasuke said.

He started to get up but stumbled to try to be upright. His legs felt numb. Naruto quickly steadied him by putting his arm around him.

“Easy… You know, I can carry – “

“No.” He answered immediately.

“Stop being so weird and accept help already.” Suigetsu scolded.

Sasuke looked at him and then to Sakura who only shrugged her shoulders as if to imply that he was right. He sighed in defeat as he realized his options had run out. He would be more of a nuisance to everyone if he allowed his stubborn will to persist. He silently and defeatedly motioned for Naruto to turn around so he could grab on. Naruto lifted him onto his back with ease. He felt ridiculous, but at the same time it was nice to be so close to him. Although, after a few moments he furrowed his brows as he felt a twinge of pain surge through his heart. The last person to hold him in that way had been Itachi.

X

The rain finally let up as they were walking back toward Nikogetsu’s home. Kakashi and Nikogetsu had begun to converse more about the Goke ahead of the group as well as conditions which had led her to flee to where she was now. After hearing her story, he wanted to help them in the same way he had wanted to help Sasuke so many years ago.

The Hōzuki clan shared a few key similarities with the Uchiha clan. One of the primary differences being that the Hidden Mist never went so far as to hire a child to murder his own family and they certainly did not massacre the entire clan on purpose, rather, the clan was banished from the main village and the Hōzuki clan had furiously fought against their banishment order. It was for a noble cause of keeping what had been theirs, yet, most of them died that day or were forced to flee due to a small group of the Hōzuki planning a coup against the Mizukage.

Suigetsu sulked toward the back of the group as he listened to the story again. Sasuke buried his face in Naruto’s shoulder as guilt crept over him for never taking the time to speak with Suigetsu about his clan. He had been so blinded by his own objective that it had not occurred to him that there was someone right there with him who would have related to his trauma. Not to mention, Suigetsu had also lost a brother – a twin brother at that.

He wanted to speak with him again. At the moment, he felt as if he tried to use his words, he would hardly make a sound. He was so weak and still cold, although less so now that the rain had stopped. He fought sleep as they trudged back toward the house.

“Suigetsu…?” Sakura spoke unexpectedly.

“Hn?”

He had been off in a daydream about what he used to know.

“Thank you for your help today. Without you… we might have lost that fight.”

He stared at her for a moment and blinked before snapping back into his usual nonchalant attitude.

“Just doing what needed to be done.”

Naruto had been listening quietly for the last several minutes and had been thinking about the events of the day.

“No, really… thank you. You were really awesome out there. We would have been screwed. I guess Sasuke did good choosing you.”

He smiled big back at Suigetsu and gave a thumbs up. Suigetsu was stunned by the sudden positive attention which showed on his face for a moment before settling into a smile. 

_How are his friends so fucking nice?_

“You guys are too soft. No wonder you put up with Mr. Freeze over there.”

He gestured in Sasuke’s general direction which induced a chuckle from both Naruto and Sakura. Sasuke was too ill to talk back.

_They’re lucky I feel like shit and everything hurts._

Suigetsu couldn’t help but smile to himself and wonder how it was possible for Sasuke to have left people like that behind in the first place. 

X

Suigetsu sat back on the rooftop and stared up at the moon which was finally peeking through the thick clouds. He had a cup of water with a straw which sat in his mouth regardless of if he was drinking. It was more of a comfort thing. 

“Can’t sleep?”

Kakashi’s voice cut through the silence and caused him to jump.

“Jeez, you’re worse than Sasuke with that shit.”

“Ha, not like I’m trying to scare you. It would be much worse if that were the case.”

“Very funny. What do you want with me, anyway? Come to lecture me on not tempting your shinobi to shy away from The Leaf?”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. It had not been the reason although it would have at the beginning of the day. Suigetsu had more than proved himself to be a decent human being. He was also impressively talented. Konoha could use ninja like him. It was no wonder Sasuke had scouted him in the first place. 

“I just wanted to see if you and Nikogetsu would be interested in coming back with us… Konoha has changed their immigration laws. You’ll be welcomed… with certain screening procedures of course.”

Suigetsu stared at him. Again, Konoha ninja had gone out of their way to be nice to him. It was almost surreal and incredibly suspicious.

“What’s the catch?”

“Catch?”

“Yeah, like, why the hell would you offer village traitors sanctuary?”

“We took Sasuke back, didn’t we? You two have a very similar story, you know. I don’t know if he ever told you what happened to his clan…”

Suigetsu paused for a moment.

“No, but I heard it from others. The Uchiha’s are basically infamous but no one says anything about what happened to the Hōzukis. We just never talked about it… or rather I don’t really like to talk about it.”

Suigetsu cursed at himself internally for suddenly being so open with a Leaf Jounin he didn’t even know. Something about him, even with his entire face hidden, made him feel like he could trust Kakashi. 

“You don’t need to decide now.” Kakashi said to change the subject back to offering sanctuary. “We are going to stick around until Sasuke is okay to travel.”

“Yeah… thanks.”

Kakashi nodded and waved before disappearing back off the edge of the roof and into the window from which he had originally came. Suigetsu watched him leave and began to think of a new life in Konoha.

_It could be fun. I hear the Hokage’s a lesbian at least._

X

Naruto brought Sasuke up the stairs with a change of dry clothes. Sakura followed with several blankets and a towel and went into the bedroom to prepare a warm bed. Naruto set Sasuke down on the floor and grabbed the towel to begin quickly drying his hair. His body was still abnormally cold, and he was extremely lethargic. His face was incredibly pale, and he had dark circles under his eyes which were coupled with bluish purple trembling lips.

Naruto pulled Sasuke’s shirt off of his shoulders and arms followed by his arm guards. Sasuke attempted to help as much as he could but his body was fairly useless and uncoordinated. He began to fumble with his pants which were still soaking him to the bone.

“Don’t look at me.” Sasuke managed to croak.

It’s not like they hadn’t seen each other naked before, but then again it had been years. Things had definitely changed. He turned toward Sakura and gave her a pleading look. He would rather it be her, a medical ninja who had probably changed a hundred people volunteering at the hospital, than his incredibly new boyfriend.

“Well… how am I supposed to…”

“Naruto, finish making the bed.” Sakura ordered.

“But--!”

“Do it! And don’t you dare look over here.” She barked.

His inner pervert would not be satisfied today. He grumbled in defeat and jealousy as Sakura quickly helped Sasuke. She carefully helped him to the bed and put four fluffy blankets on top of him.

“Thank you…” He sheepishly mumbled.

“No worries. Just rest up.”

Her tone changed from completely sweet to be impressively stern as it had when they were kids. She always spoke to them both differently. 

“Naruto! C’mere.” 

He slumped his shoulders and gave her a look that told her his next words would be in a whine.

“Come on! Real quick.” She beckoned.

He looked over at Sasuke who had closed his eyes. He was completely exhausted and had immediately given in to the comfort around him. Naruto begrudgingly followed Sakura to just outside the doorway.

“Nothing beyond kisses and cuddling tonight, understand?” She whispered.

“S-SAKURA!”

His face turned so red it was almost purple.

“Shh! I’m serious. He can’t tonight so nothing like that, okay?”

“I-I know that…”

He couldn’t look her in the eyes. She couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“I had to say something. Goodnight Naruto.”

She winked at him and left toward her own room leaving him flustered by the doorway. She had initially fought herself on giving him the warning but decided safety was more important above feeling bad for cock blocking.

Naruto nervously entered the room again and shut the door carefully behind him. As quietly as he could, he finally changed out of his own wet clothes before nervously approaching the bed. Sasuke’s eyes parted slightly to meet his hesitant gaze.

“What are you waiting for, loser?”

Sasuke’s voice was still weak and nearly broke with his words. Naruto stared at him as his heart began to pound. The last time anything like this happened seemed like a lifetime ago. He waited another indecisive moment before slowly crawling beneath the covers. He gently wrapped his arms around Sasuke who weakly reciprocated. He was somehow still freezing. Sasuke smirked upon hearing the blonde’s racing heartbeat as put his face to his chest.

“Calm down… it’s just me.”

“But that’s it… it’s you… and we’re here… doing this… again, like, finally.”

“…I’ve missed it.”

“Me too.” 

The two severely downplayed the desperate longing they had both experienced for each other in their years apart. The taunting dreams of their blissful reunion and aching emptiness for love that had consumed them both would only be history now. Sasuke slowly lifted his head and looked Naruto in the face for a moment before kissing him. His lips felt enticingly warm. When they parted, Naruto looked worried.

“You’re still freezing. Here…”

Naruto created a clone of himself outside of the bed in order to avoid the covers flying everywhere. Even though it was only a shadow clone, it still harbored warmth from his chakra. He had it crawl in from the other side. Sasuke shuddered in relief at the intensely gratifying heat as the clone wrapped its arms around him from behind.

“Thank you. I’m so lame for this.”

“You kinda are… who would have thought one of the most dangerous shinobis out there would be caught up by hypothermia?” Naruto teased.

“Shut up.”

_It was because I love you._

X

Early the next morning Suigetsu headed out for his usual stroll across the gloomy lands. Except that today was not as gloomy as usual. The sun was out for the first time in what seemed like months and it added color to the landscape that the village had been robbed of because of its curse. He stared up at the blue sky peeking out from behind the clearing gray clouds. He inhaled the water filled air deeply and exhaled. He had always loved the smell of the leftover rain after it had coated the land the night before. His peaceful moment was rudely interrupted.

“Hey.”

Suigetsu rolled his eyes at the Uchiha’s voice and turned around. His expression read harsh and unamused.

“If you’re coming out here to tell me how awesome I am, save your breath. I already know.” 

“No…”

“Then what? Spit it out.”

Suigetsu crossed his arms.

“It’s not just leaving I owe you an apology for…”

“…Oh?”

“I didn’t treat you the way I should have.”

“You mean you didn’t _mean_ to treat me like an object? Oh my god! Woooow. You finally feel guilty for being a piece of shit?”

His voice was dripping with sarcasm. It was a cracking mask for his swelling anger.

_Why am I so fucking pissed about this?_

Sasuke stared at him for several moments without speaking causing Suigetsu to backtrack.

“S-sorry… I didn’t… uh…”

Suigetsu shook his head and sighed heavily.

“You deserve a lot better than that. _I’m_ sorry… Suigetsu.” 

“Psh… Since when did you get so soft? That boy really did a number on you.”

“You always do that.”

“Do what?”

“Redirect the conversation away from how you feel.”

Suigetsu paused.

“…You’re imagining things. Just because you caught the feels doesn’t mean I’m the same as you.” 

“We are a lot alike…”

“Except I didn’t choose to lose my brother.” Suigetsu snapped.

Sasuke winced at the harsh words.

_Maybe it was a bad idea to try to talk to him again._

Suigetsu was angry up until he saw the Uchiha’s face full of intense regret and remorse.

“That was fucked up. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s… alright.” He paused for a moment. “…Kakashi told me what he offered… Nikogetsu chose to stay and help rebuild, but if you came with us… I wouldn’t mind getting to actually know you as a friend.”

Suigetsu had promised himself he would never follow anyone like that ever again even though he was tempted for a fleeting moment. Besides, he was not about to leave the only family he knew he had left. After all that he had done to him, Sasuke deserved what he was about to say _._ A big toothy smile appeared across his face as he spoke.

“Nah, fuck you, Sasuke. You’ll know where to find me if you and that blonde don’t work out.”

He winked at the appalled Uchiha before turning to leave again to live his life the way _he_ wanted to.


End file.
